Corytophanes


Corytophanes is a genus of Neotropical lizards, commonly called helmeted iguanas or basilisks, in the family Corytophanidae. The genus contains three arboreal species and resides in tropical forests.

Species

These species are recognized as being valid:
ImageScientific nameCommon nameDistribution
Corytophanes cristatus helmeted iguanaChiapas in southern Mexico to north-western Colombia
Corytophanes hernandesii Hernandez's helmeted basiliskMexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Corytophanes percarinatus A.H.A. Duméril, 1856Guatemalan helmeted basiliskEl Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and southern Mexico.

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Corytophanes.

Etymology

The specific name, hernandesii, is in honor of Spanish naturalist Francisco Hernández.